Environment

So Cal Looks at Ways to Beat the Coming Heat

While the east coast suffers through a brutal early summer heat wave, researchers in Los Angeles have announced the findings of the most advanced regional climate modeling ever conducted, which shows that So Cal will feel the heat soon enough.

June 22, 2012 - Streetsblog LA

Thinking More Broadly About How to Measure Sustainability

Championed for over a decade, the LEED certification program has given notoriety to many newly constructed 'green' buildings, but new measures are helping us measure sustainability at the community scale, writes Kaid Benfield.

June 22, 2012 - Switchboard

The Headwinds Hindering America’s Transition to Renewable Energy

Nations like Denmark are leading the world in producing renewable energy. But the transition to renewables doesn’t just amount to the number of solar panels or wind turbines that can be built, it takes a smart grid to maximize their potential.

June 21, 2012 - THE DIRT

Is Rio+20 a Lost Cause?

As world leaders gather in Rio this week to negotiate progress toward sustainable development, Thomas Lovejoy looks at the failures to comprehensively address global sustainability to date, and suggests some achievable goals for conference attendees.

June 19, 2012 - The New York Times

New NYC Program Aims to Phase Out its Worst Polluters

By partnering with banks, real estate developers and nonprofit groups, New York City will assist some 10,000 buildings to convert to cleaner fuel, a major step in reaching PlaNYC's goal of having the cleanest air of any major U.S. city.

June 18, 2012 - Good Environment

High Speed Rail: Detriment or Benefit to the Environment?

While California's high speed rail project will be beneficial for the environment by turning polluting car and plane trips into zero-emission travel by train, there are formidable environmental challenges it must overcome in the construction phase.

June 16, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

A Safe Haven for Economic Benefits

A recent study concludes that investment in wildlife refuges leads to economic rewards.

June 15, 2012 - THE DIRT

Park Maintenance Proves To Be a Problem for NYC

"Currently in its greatest period of park expansion since the 1930s," New York City has shown a remarkable commitment to expanding its open spaces, but finding the resources to maintain them is another issue entirely, explains Caitlin Blanchfield.

June 15, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

Fracking Regulations Are Key to the Future of Natural Gas

If natural gas has a future, the key is to regulate hydraulic fracking in a report by the International Energy Agency. The New York Times recommends that all concerned about the environment read it - and no better place to apply it than New York.

June 14, 2012 - The New York Times - Opinion

Coal in the Doldrums: Is the EPA to Blame?

In a wide ranging interview with Grist reporters Chip Giller and Scott Rosenberg on her tenure at the helm of the EPA, Lisa Jackson discusses the administration’s position on coal. It’s been accused of waging a war on it by coal supporters.

June 13, 2012 - Grist

City Officials, Homeless Advocates at Odds over Bans

Is "compassion fatigue" driving Philadelphia and other cities to adopt ordinances to crack down on the homeless? Homeless advocates contend that these measures are counterproductive, as they force the homeless into criminal means of getting by.

June 13, 2012 - USA Today

Rural Farming and Urban Technology Come Together with FarmHack

Benjamin Brownell finds that innovative technology and farming work well together at a FarmHack event in Vermont.

June 12, 2012 - Shareable

Latin American Cities Take Charge in Climate Change Planning

Raillan Brooks examines a new report from MIT, which shows that Latin America has a higher percentage of cities planning for climate change than other sections of the globe.

June 11, 2012 - Next American City

The Booms and Busts of North Dakota's Drilling

Oil drilling has brought abundant prosperity to North Dakota over the past few years. Nicholas Kusnetz exposes the impact of weak environmental regulation in the state.

June 10, 2012 - ProPublica

Earth at the Precipice

A new paper by a group of international scientists warns that the planet may be at the tipping point of causing a rapid irreversible transition to a "state unknown in human experience," reports Bettina Boxall

June 9, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

New Global Environmental Performance Rankings Released

The Dirt reports on findings disclosed by this year's iteration of the Yale and Columbia University produced Environmental Performance Index (EPI). A new metric unveiled this year tracks the trend in each country's environmental performance.

June 8, 2012 - THE DIRT

Will Narrow Focus Sink Plans to Clean D.C.'s Polluted Waters?

A 20-year, $2.6 billion Clean Rivers Project intended to eliminate sewage discharge into D.C. area waterways will benefit the entire region. So, Carol O’Cleireacain asks, why only stick Washington's residents with the bill?

June 4, 2012 - The Washington Post

Can CA Gov. Jerry Brown Save High Speed Rail From CEQA?

Gov. Jerry Brown is asking the state legislature to alter the state's environmental law (CEQA) in order to begin construction of the high speed rail project in the Central Valley. It is aimed at heading off lawsuits intended to delay the project.

June 4, 2012 - San Jose Mercury News

How the NC Legislature Plans to Stop the Sea From Rising

Add this one to the "This is how they spend my tax dollars?!" file. Scott Huler exposes a ploy by legislators from 20 coastal North Carolina counties to outlaw effectively measuring and predicting the potential rise in sea level.

June 4, 2012 - Scientific American Plugged In Blog

How Green Do You Want To Get?

Elizabeth Daigneau looks at the various ways in which cities and counties can earn eco-certification, including everything from "the roads they build to the vehicles that ride on them."

June 3, 2012 - Governing

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.